Educators in a school district that conducts well-designed formative assessments should be able to accurately predict how students will perform on midterms, finals and high-stakes exams. A growing number of experts and administrators insist that if a district excels at formative assessment, its students shouldn't have to sit through so many high-stakes tests. "We don't […]
Usually, when the case is made that other countries are somehow doing a better job than the US in education, the argument is based on test scores, but it is unclear what exactly is being evaluated when we compare these scores. Usually, when the case is made that other countries are somehow doing a better […]
When Deer Creek School District in Edmond, Oklahoma, was asked to participate in a pilot program for Marzano High Reliability Schools, there was an immediate buy-in from Grove Valley Elementary School principal Kelly McCoy. "We were very excited to see what it could do and if it could make an impact at our school" McCoy […]
Indicative of a rich curriculum, deeper learning occurs when a district successfully empowers students to synthesize and creatively apply knowledge through critical thinking, problem solving and collaboration. While essential to preparing today's students for colleges and careers, building a culture of deeper learning can be challenging to accomplish at a district level. This web seminar […]
Superintendents who want to reduce testing time should perform an assessment audit, says Bob Schaeffer, public education director at the National Center for Fair & Open Testing. Link to main article: States begin shedding standardized tests in K12 Key steps include: Determine every test required by the federal government, the state, the district, and at […]
In just the last few months, several districts and states have eliminated tests and cut assessment time to make room for instruction and reduce stress. The average student takes 112 mandated standardized tests from pre-K through grade 12, according to the Council of the Great City Schools. "It allows superintendents and other policymakers to experiment […]
An innovative arts program in Connecticut allows students to study art alongside visiting Chinese students and collaborate in ways that allow a deeper appreciation for art from both cultures. The 2-year-old program is run by a magnet high school in New Haven, the Area Cooperative Educational Services Educational Center for the Arts (ACES ECA), which […]
The race to offer a rigorous pre-college curriculum to K12 students, even in elementary school, is heating up, with the move by one of the nation's largest districts to introduce a curriculum of international standards to its students in grade 3 through 5 this fall. Florida's Collier County school district, with 47,000 students, will use […]
Over a span of two years, Warren Township Schools in Warren, New Jersey, first hired a new superintendent and then replaced the principal at Warren Middle School. Both came from other districts. While Matt Mingle is the K8 district's third superintendent in roughly seven years, George Villar succeeded a principal who retired after 23 years […]
Eighth-graders in Maine in the 2017-18 school year will be the first to adhere to proficiency-based standards. The initiative is the latest implementation phase of a 2012 state law requiring standards-based assessment by 2021. Under the law, districts have leeway in how to best provide support for students in achieving proficiency. Students can expect to […]
